DOCSLIB.ORG

Download Download

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Download Download 1 Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science 2 (1996) Volume 105 p. 21-28 NESTING BY BARN OWLS IN INDIANA Allen R. Parker and John S. Castrale Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife Nongame and Endangered Species Program 553 East Miller Drive Bloomington, Indiana 47401 ABSTRACT: Indiana nesting records for the barn owl (Tyto alba) indicate a statewide distribution before the population decline of the last thirty years. To document recent nestings, a program of advertising for public sightings, interviewing observers, and inspecting sites was conducted from 1983 to 1993. A total of 112 barn owls (19% of the 588 reports received) and 61 nest sites were confirmed. All nests were found south of 40 degrees latitude. Nest attempts were found in nest boxes (43%), tree cavities (38%), silos (9%), and other sites (10%). Success to banding age was most probable for nest boxes (78%). The average number of young per successful nest peaked every third year and was 4.0 overall. Between 1984 and 1991, the loss of known nest sites was 19.6%. The number of banding age young per nest attempt (2.74) exceeded the normal range of young per breeding female for a stable population (1.86-2.18). KEYWORDS: Banding age young, barn owls, distribution, nest boxes, productivity. INTRODUCTION The barn owl was first noted in Indiana after 1879 (Butler, 1898; Mumford and Keller, 1984), following settlement and forest clearing. Nest records from historical times to 1986 (Whitaker and Gammon, 1988) indicate a statewide distribution. Declines in barn owl numbers in the last 30 years have resulted in the species being considered endangered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). By 1980, the only known active nest site was the royal paulownia tree (Paulownia tomentosa) at Madison's Lanier Mansion. Foraging habitat for barn owls in Indiana consists of grasslands, fallow fields, and overgrown pastures, where their primary prey are voles {Microtus spp.; Parker, 1994). Barn owls use tree cavities and a variety of man-made structures for nesting. Land-use changes played a role in both the colonization of the Midwest by barn owls and in their later disappearance (Colvin, 1985). The purpose of this study was to document recent nesting by barn owls and to assess the current status of barn owl populations in Indiana. MATERIALS AND METHODS In the fall of 1983, the IDNR began an effort to locate barn owls in Indiana. Primary land use is rowcrops throughout the glacial till plain of the northern half and the riverine plain in the southwest and southeast. Timber, hay, and livestock production are more prevalent on the irregular terrain of the unglaciated, south-central region and major drainages. Historical sightings and nest records of barn owls were gleaned from the literature. Barn owl sightings 22 Ecology: Parker and Castrale Vol. 105 (1996) Figure 1 . Nest sites (squares) and counties (shaded) where barn owl evidence was found in Indiana between 1981 and 1995. Hollow squares are recent nest locations (1993-1995). were elicited from the public through notices posted in farm stores and articles in rural periodicals. Report credibility was determined by telephone interview, and field inspections were conducted on valid sites. Because the ejected pellets of barn owls are distinctive (Parker, 1993), confirmation of barn owl occur- rence was made by finding pellets. Nest boxes (16" x 16" x 36") were placed at all confirmed sites on barn beams, in silos, trees, and other locales. To reduce raccoon predation, all boxes were remounted in 1985 as barn interior boxes with a 7" x 7" entrance hole in the upper barn wall. As suitable foraging habi- tat was discovered, nest boxes were mounted in those areas as well. A total of 22 experimental boxes were mounted on utility poles over reclaimed, strip- mine grasslands. Through 1995, nest boxes were checked at least biannually. Vol. 105 (1996) Indiana Academy of Science 23 RESULTS Of a total of 588 owl reports, 19% were confirmed as barn owls, while 39% were lacking locations, details, or contacts and were, therefore, of no value (often second-hand reports). Misidentified birds made up the remainder: 16% were eastern screech owls (Otus asio), 14% great horned owls (Bubo virgini- anus), 9% barred owls (Strix varia), 2% short-eared owls (Asioflammeus), and 1% rock doves (Columba livid). As reports accumulated, concentrations of barn owl activity were evident as duplicate or clustered reports. Field inspec- tions were made at 236 sites, and pellets were found at 87 (Figure 1). The prob- ability of finding pellets was greater for sites where a structure (barn, tree cav- ity, etc.) was mentioned by the reporter (42%) than for sites without such men- tion (28%). Barn owls were verified by carcass recovery on ten areas. Five were auto- mobile kills. Three barn owls were killed by silo auger operation, one by barbed wire impact, and one by hanging inverted from a barn wall. The latter occurrence was unusual in that the owl apparently snagged his tarsus in the gap between two planks on his way through the peak vent of the barn wall. In his struggle to free himself, he slid down the planks where his foot prevented him from pulling free. Three incidental mortalities noted on known areas included one poisoning, one collision in a barn, and one batting with a broom handle by a startled landowner. Nesting occurred at a total of 73 sites in 27 counties (Figure 1). Twelve new sites (1993-95) are included in this total, which did not enter into the analysis because they were checked too late in the season to ascertain produc- tion. Although barn owl occurrence was verified by pellets in the northern counties of Indiana, all nests were found in the lower two thirds of the State (below approximately 40 degrees latitude). Of 106 nesting attempts, 68% were successful, 9% were failures, and the outcome of the rest was undetermined. Between 1981 and 1992, known outcome nests produced 290 young (X - 4.0 young/successful nest) to banding age (approximately 5 weeks). Peaks greater than 4.5 in number of banding age young per successful nest occurred in 1983, '86, '89, and '92 (Figure 2). Banding age young per successful nest was great- est in southwestern Indiana (X = 4.9), lowest in southeastern Indiana (X = 3.6), and intermediate in central and northern Indiana (X = 3.9). Nest failures were attributed to human-induced abandonment (5), predator-induced abandonment (2), capture of the young by humans (2), and destruction by silo auger (1). Nest attempts were primarily in nest boxes (43%) and tree cavities (38%), but silos were also used (9%). Only 1 out of 22 nest boxes mounted on a pole over a strip-mined grassland was used by barn owls. Miscellaneous sites (10%) included haystacks, a hayhook landing, a lumber kiln, a railroad roundhouse, a church steeple, a strip-mine highwall ledge, and a mine dragline. The mean number of young produced per nesting attempt was greatest in nest boxes (3.41), intermediate in trees and silos (2.35 and 2.33, respectively), and lowest at other sites (1.18). The probability that a nesting attempt would successfully 24 Ecology: Parker and Castrale Vol. 105 (1996) w 6 ZLU -I E 5 CO CO A LU P\ A J CO K LU 3-a illil Jll Q. o I 2 HENNrS STABLE POPULATION PRODUCTION RANGE LU • 8 1 a UJ £ 8 2 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 n= 3 n=2 n=1 n=5 n=7 n=14 n=13 n=8 n=7 n=8 n=4 YEAR Figure 2. Mean number of banding-age barn owls per successful nest in Indiana between 1982 and 1992 (n is the number of successful nests). produce banding-age young was highest when the owls used nest boxes (78%) and lower when using tress (63%), silos (44%), and other sites (45%). The use of roost and nest sites by barn owls is sporadic in Indiana. Year- to-year site reuse was examined as a percentage of the first year for nest sites and nest/roost sites combined. Among nest sites, nest boxes had higher initial reuse rates, but the percent reuse declined more quickly for boxes than for tree cavities (Figure 3). Similarly, combined nest/roost site results showed a ten- dency for boxes to initially be reused more, but for the long term, tree cavities have a higher reuse (Figure 4). Tree cavities were known to have been used for nest/roost sites for seven years in a row. Tree, nest box, and barn sites disappeared from year-to-year as well. Between 1984 and 1991, the annual loss of roost and nest sites was 4.1% (23 total sites). Of 51 known nest sites during this same period, 19.6% (10) were lost. Most of these sites were demolished by landowners. DISCUSSION The primary range of the barn owl in Indiana is in the southern third of the State. Although formerly common north of this line, the barn owl appears lim- ited in range due its preferred foraging habitat. Colvin (1985) suggested that the 1940-50 era change to intensive farming practices greatly reduced grass- lands that supported the key prey of the barn owl — meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) and prairie voles (M. ochrogaster). Some researchers have Vol. 105 (1996) Indiana Academy of Science 25 ^TREE (n=17) • NESTBOX (n=27) 50 2 3 4 5 YEAR AFTER FIRST USE Figure 3. Percent reuse of barn owl nest sites in Indiana between 1984 and 1992.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Selection and Use of Nest Sites by Barn Owls in Norfolk, England
    j Raptor Res. 28(3):149-153 ¸ 1994 The Raptor ResearchFoundation, Inc. SELECTION AND USE OF NEST SITES BY BARN OWLS IN NORFOLK, ENGLAND PAUL N. JOHNSON The Durrell Instituteof Conservationand Ecology,The University,Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NX United Kingdom AI•STR•CT.--Between1989 and 1993 reproductionwas monitoredat 96 barn owl (Tyro alba) breeding sitesin England. Nestswere locatedin tree cavities,buildings, and nest boxesin farm buildingsand maturetrees. Many of the sitesother than nestboxes used by owls were of human origin, but the number of thosedeclined during the courseof the study due to deteriorationof human-madestructures and competitionfrom otherspecies. Nest boxesincreased the populationdensity from 15 breedingpairs/100 km2 to 27 pairs.Over the studyperiod, pairs usingnest boxes produced significantly larger clutchesthan at other sites,but the numberof fledglingswas not significantlydifferent amongtypes of nest sites. KEY WORDS: barn owl; breedingecology; England; human-altered habitats; nest boxes; Tyro alba. Selecci6ny usode sitiosde nidificaci6npor Tyroalba en Norfolk, Inglaterra RESUMEN.--Entre1989 y 1993 semonitore6 la reproducci6nen 96 sitiosreproductivos de Tyroalba. Los nidosse localizaron en cavidadesde firboles,edificios, cajas anideras en construccionesagricolas y firboles madufos.Mucho de estossitios, aparte de las cajasanideras, usados por T. alba fueron de origen humano, peroel nfimerode ellosdeclin6 durante el cursodel estudiodebido al deteriorode las estructurasartificiales y a la competenciacon otras especies.Las cajasanideras incrementaron la densidadpoblacional de 15 parejasreproductivas/100 km 2 a 27 parejas.En el periodode estudio,las parejasque usaronlas cajas aniderasprodujeron nidadas significativamentemils grandesqueen otros sitios, pero el nfimero de volantonesno fue significativamentediferente entre los distintostipos de sitios. [Traducci6n de Ivan Lazo] The barn owl (Tyro alba) is currentlyclassified box studieshas been criticized by Moller (1989, as vulnerable in northwest Norfolk, England by 1992).
    [Show full text]
  • Barn Owl (Tyto Alba) Caleb G
    Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Caleb G. Putnam Status: State Endangered, Casual (MBRC) these reports occurred during MBBA II, two one-day wonders at Tawas Point State Park, Iosco County, were clearly migrants and may have pertained to the same individual. The third, present for two days in July 2002 in Washtenaw County, yielded possible breeding evidence. This compares to one breeding confirmation and five non-breeding season observations during MBBA I. After the MBBA II period, a single Barn Owl was observed in and near a barn on 7 September 2009 in Penn Township, Cass County and several dropped feathers were retrieved (MBRC 2010, Putnam 2010). Still, it seems likely that the period between the two Tawas Point, Iosco County, MI. 5/17/2007 atlases witnessed the conclusion of this species’ © Caleb Putnam regular breeding in the state. The monkey-faced Barn Owl has the dubious Historically, breeding activity occurred distinction of being one of Michigan’s few primarily from March to June, with occasional extirpated breeding bird species. Formerly an records into October during times of high uncommon to rare breeder in the southern LP, microtine abundance. The species shows a the species last nested in the early 1980s and has marked preference for human-made nest since been only infrequently encountered. This structures, in which a clutch of 3-11 eggs is laid. species is one of the most widely distributed of Eggs are incubated for about 30-34 days and the all land birds, being found on six continents and young are brooded an additional 52-56 days constituting approximately 28 to 35 subspecies (Ehrlich et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Measuring Owl Flight Noise
    Measuring owl flight noise Thomas GEYER1; Ennes SARRADJ2; Christoph FRITZSCHE3 1;2 Chair for Technical Acoustics, BTU Cottbus - Senftenberg, Germany 3 now with the Thuringian State Institute for Environment and Geology, Germany ABSTRACT It is well known that most genera of owls are able to fly almost silently in order to hunt their prey. However, this knowledge is actually based on very few quantitative studies only. This is especially interesting regarding the fact that, against the background of increasing air traffic, the unique plumage adaptations of the owl responsible for the silent flight are the motivation behind various airframe noise reduction techniques such as serrations or porous trailing edges. Both by reviewing existing data and by means of appropriate experiments, the paper will first illustrate the special feather adaptations of owls and will expand upon their contribution to the silent flight. Then, following a brief review of existing measurement data on the silent owl flight from past studies, the paper will focus on more recent measurements of the noise generated by gliding owls. Thereby, two different approaches were followed: First, outdoor measurements of the noise emitted by gliding owls were performed using microphone array technology and a high speed camera setup to capture the flight path of the birds. Second, indoor measurements in an aeroacoustic open jet wind tunnel revealed the noise generated by prepared wings as well as their aerodynamic performance in terms of lift and drag forces. In both cases, special attention was paid to the difference between the flight noise of the owl compared to the noise of other, non-silently flying birds.
    [Show full text]
  • Barn Owls — Family Tytonidae
    282 Barn Owls — Family Tytonidae Barn Owls — Family Tytonidae Barn Owl Tyto alba An uncommon permanent resident through much of San Diego County, the Barn Owl is the county’s most urban owl. It nests in buildings and among the bases of palm leaves more often than in cavities in native trees or on natural cliff ledges. Also, the owls readily use nest boxes designed for them. An increas- ing number of San Diegans are turning to the Barn Owl as an agent of natural rodent control, encourag- ing the owls by hanging these boxes in trees. Breeding distribution: The Barn Owl is widespread on the coastal slope of San Diego County at low to moderate elevations, occurring in riparian and oak woodland as Photo by Anthony Mercieca well as in any open area where trees, buildings, or other man-made structures offer secure sites for roosting and the nature of the surrounding habitat, provided that there nesting. Its numbers are greatest in the inland valleys, is ample open ground over which the owls can hunt. with up to 12 in Poway (M12) 10 June and 15 July 1998 In the higher mountains the Barn Owl is rare but (P. von Hendy), and 10 at Wilderness Gardens (D11) 5 recorded as high as around 5000 feet elevation near the April 1997 (V. Dineen). The availability of suitable nest upper end of the middle fork of Borrego Palm Canyon sites probably governs the species’ numbers more than (E21; one on 18 June 1999, K. L. Weaver, C. R. Mahrdt) and about 4650 feet near Camp Hual-Cu-Cuish, Cuyamaca Mountains (M20; one on 2 July 2000, R.
    [Show full text]
  • OWLS of OHIO C D G U I D E B O O K DIVISION of WILDLIFE Introduction O W L S O F O H I O
    OWLS OF OHIO c d g u i d e b o o k DIVISION OF WILDLIFE Introduction O W L S O F O H I O Owls have longowls evoked curiosity in In the winter of of 2002, a snowy ohio owl and stygian owl are known from one people, due to their secretive and often frequented an area near Wilmington and two Texas records, respectively. nocturnal habits, fierce predatory in Clinton County, and became quite Another, the Oriental scops-owl, is behavior, and interesting appearance. a celebrity. She was visited by scores of known from two Alaska records). On Many people might be surprised by people – many whom had never seen a global scale, there are 27 genera of how common owls are; it just takes a one of these Arctic visitors – and was owls in two families, comprising a total bit of knowledge and searching to find featured in many newspapers and TV of 215 species. them. The effort is worthwhile, as news shows. A massive invasion of In Ohio and abroad, there is great owls are among our most fascinating northern owls – boreal, great gray, and variation among owls. The largest birds, both to watch and to hear. Owls Northern hawk owl – into Minnesota species in the world is the great gray are also among our most charismatic during the winter of 2004-05 became owl of North America. It is nearly three birds, and reading about species with a major source of ecotourism for the feet long with a wingspan of almost 4 names like fearful owl, barking owl, North Star State.
    [Show full text]
  • Barn Owl (Tyto Alba)
    Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Bird Species of Concern State Rank: S3B (vulnerable, breeding), S3N (vulnerable, non-breeding), Global Rank: G5 (secure) Identification The Barn Owl (Tyto alba) is a member of the family Tytonidae, the only representative of that family occurring in the United States. Barn Owls are on average 14 inches long with a wingspan of 44 inches. It is a large, nocturnal, and predatory bird with a large rounded head. It has pale facial disks with a dark frame. This species has tawny and gray upperparts with small black and white spots, and white underparts with scattered dark spots. The two sexes are similar to each other. The Barn Owl is easily distinguished from other owls by its face pattern. Flight patterns are similar to Long-eared and Short- eared Owls but lacks dark wrist marks. Range Barn Owls have a nearly worldwide distribution, being absent from only the high latitudes. It is found throughout most of the United States and it frequents open areas with suitable nesting areas in Pennsylvania. North American State/Province Conservation Status Map by NatureServe (2007) photo source: Jim Malone Pennsylvania Distribution by County Habitat Barn Owls require open areas with cavities for nesting. These cavities can be natural tree cavities or human-made structures such as church steeples, barns, abandoned buildings, or even nest boxes. This species needs a good population of small rodents, especially meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus). In winter, Barn Owls will sometimes roost in dense conifer trees, even plantations. Conservation/Status Barn Owls were undoubtedly rare in Pennsylvania before the cutting of the primeval forests.
    [Show full text]
  • (Tyto Alba) and Long-Eared Owl (Asio Otus) Mortality Along Motorways in Bourgogne-Champagne: Report and Suggestions
    Barn Owl (Tyto alba) and Long-Eared Owl (Asio otus) Mortality Along Motorways in Bourgogne-Champagne: Report and Suggestions Hugues Baudvin1 The purpose of the study was to find where 305 km of motorways, from Dijon (Burgundy) and why two species of owls were killed by to Toul (Lorraine) and from Dijon to Saint- traffic along motorways. Three different factors Thibault (Champagne). Because of lack of have an important influence on the mortality of data, 46.1 km of road were not evaluated the two owl species: the biotops crossed by (discontinuous line figure 2). The distance motorways, the road elevation and the presence of small rodents, the Common Vole (Microtus arvalis) being most numerous. In order to limit the mortality caused by motorways, it is proposed to let the bordering vegetation grow naturally. Roadway-caused mortality of wildlife is a significant issue worldwide. Often, the impacts to wildlife occur along specific portions of roadways. Surveys along the roadways can identify these portions and identify the wildlife species being the most greatly impacted. Then, the management of roadside vegetation can help to reduce this negative impact. STUDY AREA AND METHODS The study area is located in the northeast of France, over the regions of Burgundy, Champagne, and Lorraine (fig. 1). It concerns Figure 2.—Owl mortality on motorways studied in northeastern France. studied is exactly 517.8 km (258.9 x 2 sides of the motorway). The study was conducted from November 1991 to December 1995. Dead animals were collected systematically along the motorway three times daily. The animals were placed in plastic bags and frozen for positive identification.
    [Show full text]
  • Inventory Methods for Raptors
    Inventory Methods for Raptors Standards for Components of British Columbia's Biodiversity No. 11 Prepared by Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management Environment Inventory Branch for the Terrestrial Ecosystems Task Force Resources Inventory Committee October 2001 Version 2.0 © The Province of British Columbia Published by the Resources Inventory Committee National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data Main entry under title: Inventory methods for raptors [computer file] (Standards for components of British Columbia’s biodiversity; no. 11) Available on the Internet. Issued also in printed format on demand. Previously published: Standard inventory methodologies for components of British Columbia biodiversity. Raptors. 1997 [Version 1.1] ISBN 0-7726-4619-8 1. Birds of prey - British Columbia. 2. Bird populations - British Columbia. 3. Ecological surveys - British Columbia - Methodology. I. British Columbia. Ministry of Sustainable Resource Management. Environment Inventory Branch. II. Resources Inventory Committee (Canada). Terrestrial Ecosystems Task Force. III. Series. QL685.5.B7I58 2001 333.95’8911’09711 C2001-960239-1 Additional Copies of this publication can be purchased from: Government Publications Centre Phone: (250) 387-3309 or Toll free: 1-800-663-6105 Fax: (250) 387-0388 www.publications.gov.bc.ca Digital Copies are available on the Internet at: http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/ric Biodiversity Inventory - Raptors Preface This manual, version 2.0, is a revised and improved presentation of standard methods for inventory of raptors in British Columbia at three levels of inventory intensity: presence/not detected (possible), relative abundance, and absolute abundance. The manual was compiled by the Terrestrial Ecosystems Task Force, under the auspices of the Resources Inventory Committee (RIC).
    [Show full text]
  • Guidelines for Raptor Conservation During Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia (2013)
    Guidelines for Raptor Conservation during Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia (2013) A companion document to Develop with Care 2012 Guidelines for Raptor Conservation 2013 Acknowledgements The 2005 edition of Best Management Practices for Raptor Conservation during Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia was prepared by Mike W. Demarchi, MSc, RPBio and Michael D. Bentley of LGL Limited Environmental Research Associates; with revisions by Lennart Sopuck, RPBio of Biolinx Environmental Research Ltd. Guidance was provided by Grant Bracher of the B.C. Ministry of Environment, with input from Marlene Caskey, Erica McClaren, Myke Chutter, Karen Morrison, Margaret Henigman, and Susan Latimer (all with Ministry of Environment). Gary Searing (Wildlife Biologist with LGL Limited) provided additional information on raptor conservation and management. Peter Wainwright (Biologist with LGL Limited and former Councillor with the Town of Sidney) provided insights to municipal government processes. Some of the information herein builds upon that presented in Best Management Practices for the Maintenance of Raptors during Land Development in Urban/Rural Environments of Vancouver Island Region.i Revisions for this updated version (Guidelines for Raptor Conservation during Urban and Rural Land Development in British Columbia 2013) were led by Marlene Caskey and Myke Chutter of the B.C. Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, with assistance from Margaret Henigman and Ron Diederichs. Editing and design was provided by Judith Cullington, Judith Cullington & Associates. Updated range maps were provided by Tanya Dunlop, B.C. Ministry of Environment. Photographs credited to LGL Limited, Hobbs Photo Images Company, and Stuart Clarke are copyrighted.
    [Show full text]
  • 0 Barn Owls and Major Roads – the Barn Owl Trust
    0 Barn Owls and Major Roads – The Barn Owl Trust Acknowledgements The author wishes to acknowledge the cooperation and support of a wide range of individuals and a small number of organisations as follows:- Trustees of the Barn Owl Trust for their patience and support in the face of other demands on Trust resources, and for funding this study Professor Graham Martin (University of Birmingham) for acting as principal scientific advisor and Marie-Anne Martin for comments on earlier drafts Mike Toms (British Trust for Ornithology) for comments on earlier drafts and data analysis in Chapter 10 Frances Ramsden (Barn Owl Trust) for comments and desktop publishing Sandra Reardon (Barn Owl Trust) for report production Steve Panks (University of Plymouth student) for helping with chapters 2 & 3 as follows: most of the fieldwork, a first draft of some of the text and all the figures and tables Tom Day (University of York student) for help with statistical data analysis Mark Green (Barn Owl Trust) for analysis of part of the data used in Chapter 7 Jessica Munday (University of Reading student) for inputting data for Chapter 6 British Trust for Ornithology for administering the UK ringing and recovery system and providing data Jacquie Clark (British Trust for Ornithology) for data request approval and patience Deborah Lang (University of Bristol student) for inputting data Jerry Tallowin (independent BTO ringer) for providing details of Barn Owls he ringed Inigo Fajardo for help with the literature review Sian Manning for help with the literature review David Perkins (Manchester Metropolitan University) for help with the literature review David Warbey (Devon County Council) for researching and providing Devon road statistics David Hinde (Highways Agency) for providing access to an unpublished report (Shawyer & Dixon, 1999) Highways Agency for permission to use the data arising from the first survey used in Chapter 2 Nick Dixon (Hawk and Owl Trust) for details of 11 road casualties.
    [Show full text]
  • Backyard Birds | Coyotes | Deer | Opossums | Owls | Raccoons | Skunks | Snakes | Home
    | Backyard Birds | Coyotes | Deer | Opossums | Owls | Raccoons | Skunks | Snakes | Home Backyard Birds Neighborhoods are perfectly good homes for all kinds of birds. We find everything from the smallest hummingbird to large birds of prey, noisy starlings to cawing crows. All of these birds can find a comfortable niche in our neighborhoods and backyards. Along with the pleasures of these wild and beautiful creatures come the hazards of mingling wildlife into city settings. What do we do with the orphaned baby birds that our children find or the frightened robin the cat brings in? What about birds hit by a car or caught in fishing line? Birds sometimes fly into the house or into windows. They dive-bomb passersby or nest right above the front door. All are perplexing problems. How do we deal with these situations in a way that doesn't harm these otherwise welcomed visitors to our yards and neighborhoods? It is important to remember that birds and almost all wild animals are afraid of people. No matter how stressful the situation is to us at the moment, it is even more frightening to the bird. This means that handling and close contact with people should be avoided whenever possible and kept to a minimum when it does become necessary. How to Prevent Problems *1* Put a bell on your outdoor cat, especially if you hang bird feeders in your yard. A breakaway collar, with a bell and ID tag attached, is safest for the cat. The bell will warn birds of the approaching predator. *2* Sometimes birds appear to be attacking the windows.
    [Show full text]
  • Observations on the Barn Owl (Tyto Alba Guttata) in the Netherlands in Relation to Its Ecology and Population Fluctuations
    OBSERVATIONS ON THE BARN OWL (TYTO ALBA GUTTATA) IN THE NETHERLANDS IN RELATION TO ITS ECOLOGY AND POPULATION FLUCTUATIONS by M. R. HONER (Department of Zoology, State Agricultural University, Wageningen) Carried out at the State Institute for Nature Conservation Research (R.I.V.O.N.), Bilthoven. R.I.V.O.N. Communication No. 149 CONTENTS Introduction 158 1. Biotope and habitat selection 159 la. Brief survey of the types of buildings used by the Barn Owl for nesting and roosting 161 (1) Farm buildings 161 (2) Churches 162 (3) Houses 162 (4) Castles and ruins 162 lb. Habitat selection in the Barn Owl 163 2. Body weight, fat reserves and resistance to starvation in the Barn Owl . 164 3. Breeding habits of the Barn Owl 168 4. Mortality bursts in European Barn Owl populations 170 4a. The literature 171 4b. Taxidermists records 174 4c. A note on ringing data 176 5. Periodicity of mortality bursts in the Netherlands 177 6. Micro-rodent cycles in the Netherlands and their relationship to fluctuations in the Barn Owl population 179 7. Wanderjahre and the Barn Owl, and a solution to the problem of mass mortality bursts 180 8. Disease and parasites as possible causes of population fluctuations in the Barn Owl, a digression 184 9. A note on the distribution and population of the Barn Owl in the Nether­ lands 187 Summary 192 Acknowledgements 192 Literature 193 INTRODUCTION The present work was carried out at the instigation of the State Institutefo r Nature Conservation Research (R.I.V.O.N),Bilthoven , the Netherlands.
    [Show full text]